Hard Choices
by ToTheJourney2014
Summary: Rick Grimes lost his wife. Katherine McKinney lost her daughter. After the two of them meet, they both have some very difficult decisions to make. - For jessica.orr.1884 ... Thanks for helping with the idea and for the use of your OC. :) ***THANK YOU TO SarcasticTweenBookworm FOR THE COVER FOR THIS STORY!***
1. Chapter 1

Katherine McKinney stopped to wipe the sweat from her brow while resting her other hand on her largely swollen stomach. She turned in a slow circle as she debated the best way to go. It had been several hours since she had come across a dead one, but she knew she couldn't hold out hope that there wouldn't be more down the road. She finally decided that her best option would be to just keep going the same direction she had been traveling. Logic told her that she would have to come across some kind of shelter eventually. "Don't worry," she whispered as she rubbed her stomach. "We'll find a safe place for you to come into the world."

It was a few hours later before Katherine spotted the building. According to the sign out front, it had been a day care at one time. She knew it would be the perfect place to stay until she had her baby. She wasn't sure how much longer that would be, but she knew it wouldn't be more than a few weeks. She was worried that it would be any day.

There were a couple of dead ones milling around the outside of the day care, but they didn't worry Katherine. She had grown up in a large family of hunters in Georgia. There had always been a good supply of deer, duck, rabbit, squirrel, and turkey meat in their home... depending on the hunting season they were in. It was a tradition that she had carried with her into her own life when she had set off on her own eighteen years before. She was as comfortable using a knife and gun as she was using a hairbrush and toothbrush. It only took her a few minutes to kill the dead ones, pick the lock on the front door of the day care, and slip inside.

The interior of the day care was dark and quiet, but Katherine still took her time as she went through every room to make sure she was alone. Once she was satisfied, she began checking each room for supplies. She was delighted to find bottles, diapers, cans of formula, a few baby clothes, and a few more cans of food to be able to add to her already heavy pack.

She made herself a nice pallet from several of the crib mattresses in what had obviously been the infant room and discovered a stash of blankets that had apparently been used for the older kids during nap times. She smiled to herself. She was going to sleep well while she was in the day care. She made herself comfortable and then used her knife, after cleaning it really well, to open a can of ravioli that she dug out of her pack.

It still felt early to her, so she fished around in her pack until she found a candle and a box of matches. Pulling out one of the few books she carried with her, she used the light from the burning candle to read for a while. She wasn't sure how long she read before deciding to call it a night. It was completely dark outside. She frowned, feeling a little strange, but shrugged it off as she blew out the candle and laid down to go to sleep.

Several hours later, Katherine woke up with a scream as the first contraction seized her. The sun was shining in through the grime coated windows of the room as she curled up on her side.

~C~

Maggie Greene clutched the baby tighter in her arms as she turned back to look at Carl Grimes with a look of absolute horror written all over her face. She had just delivered his little sister, and there had been complications. His mother had died a few minutes after Maggie had cut the baby from her stomach, and the thirteen year old boy had just put a bullet into his own mother's brain to keep her from turning into a walker.

"Come on." Carl spoke with no emotion as he stood up, a look of horrific resolution on his face. He moved quickly as he stepped past Maggie and his new little sister to lead the way through the corridors of the prison their group called home. "Let's go."

Maggie followed silently behind Carl, the two of them killing the few remaining walkers that stood between them and the outside. As Carl pushed open the door that led outside, she could see Rick Grimes and the others looking around. Rick was the father of Carl and the baby she was holding in her arms. She knew they were all looking for the two of them and Lori, the mother. None of them were even aware that Lori had gone into labor at the beginning of the attack on their prison.

Carl pushed the door open and held it for Maggie, staying silent. He felt kind of hollow on the inside and couldn't bring himself to look at anyone. Everything was too horrible. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be feeling, much less thinking.

Rick looked over as the door opened, his heart racing for joy as he watched his son step outside. He kept staring as Maggie walked out with a small bundle wrapped in her arms. He kept looking past her, but it only took a few moments for him to realize that Lori wouldn't be coming out with them.

Maggie nodded in response to Rick's unasked question as she placed his daughter in his arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered before turning around and throwing herself into her boyfriend's arms.

Glenn Rhee held Maggie tight as she sobbed in his arms, silent tears falling down his cheeks. He watched over the top of her head as Rick handed the baby over to Carl and disappeared into the interior of the prison.

Daryl Dixon looked over at Hershel. "What do we need for her?" he asked, referring to the baby.

"Formula," Hershel answered immediately. "As much of it as we can get so we can feed her. Bottles and nipples, too."

Daryl nodded, shifting the strap of his crossbow on his shoulder as he turned and walked toward his motorcycle.

"I'm coming with you," Maggie called out as she pulled away from Glenn. She wiped at her face and gave Glenn a gentle kiss. "This is something I have to do," she said as she moved over to Daryl's motorcycle. She swung her leg over the seat and wrapped her arms around Daryl's waist, the scabbard of her machete bouncing lightly against her back.

~C~

Sweat poured off of Katherine' skin as she panted through another contraction. She had already removed her pants, but things didn't seem to be moving very quickly despite the fact that the contractions were coming closer together. She started to push herself up from the pallet to try walking around after remembering that had been on of the tricks the doctor had used to get her friend's labor to progress. She was sitting up on the edge of the pallet when her water suddenly broke, gushing over the side of the pallet and onto the floor. She screamed as the most intense contraction yet came over her.

Daryl pulled the motorcycle to a stop and motioned toward the sign he had spotted. "Day care," he said. "Bet we can find some stuff in there."

Maggie nodded, climbing off the motorcycle and following Daryl around the side of the building. She spotted a partially open window and climbed through it after Daryl had opened it the rest of the way.

The two of them separated slightly, poking through cabinets and drawers. Maggie found a package of three bottles that were still in their original packaging and some soft cloths. She put these into the empty pack Daryl had gotten off of his motorcycle before the two of them moved into the kitchen.

Daryl watched as Maggie added the cans of formula she found in the upper cabinets to the pack, turning quickly when he heard a noise coming from a larger cabinet on the opposite side of the kitchen. He nodded, his crossbow held ready, as Maggie pulled the knife from her belt and opened the door.

The black eyes of a raccoon glinted in the light from the flashlight Daryl held between his teeth. Maggie barely repressed a shudder of revulsion as Daryl shot the raccoon.

Daryl glanced at Maggie with a grin as he picked up the raccoon by the arrow that was now lodged deep inside of its body. "Dinner."

Maggie stiffened up when she heard a sudden scream. "That wasn't a raccoon." She kept her knife gripped firmly in her hand, opting to leave her machete in the scabbard across her back. She was just in front of Daryl as the two of them moved into the small hallway, both of them alert for any signs of movement.

Katherine fell back on the pallet she had fixed for herself, panting for breath as the latest contraction ended. Tears were now mingled with the sweat on her face. She was terrified and had no idea how she was going to be able to do this on her own, but she knew she didn't have a choice. She heard the sounds of something coming and whimpered, knowing she was in no condition to be able to fight off any of the dead ones. She fumbled in the outer pocket of her pack until she found her gun, thankful she had taken one from her supply at home that had a silencer attached to it as she aimed it toward the door of the room.

Maggie nodded as Daryl put his hand on the doorknob, poised to attack as soon as he opened the door. She ducked quickly, on instinct, as a bullet flew over her head and shattered the plaster on the wall behind her. "Daryl, wait!" she called out, stopping her friend from using his crossbow to shoot back.

Katherine saw the two people coming into the room, blurry through her tears. The gun trembled in her hands as she tried to focus on them, crying out as she was seized by another contraction. The gun fell to the floor as she grabbed her stomach, feeling an overwhelming urge to start pushing.

Daryl leaned his crossbow against the wall a few feet from the woman as Maggie knelt down on the end of the pallet. "We ain't gonna hurt you," he said, his voice gruff with emotion he was doing his best to hide. He had always had a soft spot for women, especially pregnant ones.

Maggie gave the woman a small smile, reaching out and pushing the woman's knees apart. "I'm Maggie," she said, introducing herself. She looked up at Daryl. "Get behind her, Daryl, and help her sit up a little so she can push better." She glanced back at the woman. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Katherine," Katherine responded through clenched teeth as she pushed with the contraction. She leaned back against Daryl and did her best to breathe through the pain.

"You're doing great, Katherine," Maggie spoke encouragingly. "Keep pushing." She reached out to help guide the baby out, turning it slightly as it slowly emerged. She kept a stoic expression on her face, feeling her heart breaking again. Three contractions later, the baby was all of the way out, and Maggie was staring down at is bluish skin.

The baby was dead.


	2. Chapter 2

"Why isn't the baby crying?" Katherine questioned, trying to lean forward to see her baby.

Daryl saw the look on Maggie's face and knew the truth. He laid Katherine gently down on the pallet and brushed a few tendrils of hair back from her face. "We'll just get the baby cleaned up and stuff. You rest." He didn't wait for her to respond, moving down the pallet to Maggie and sighing under his breath. He pulled the knife from his belt, sliding it into the baby's temple and then cutting the cord. He watched as Maggie pulled a blanket from her pack from the ones she had taken earlier, wrapping the baby tightly in it.

There were tears on Maggie's cheeks as she looked up at Katherine. "I'm so sorry," she whispered to the other woman. She cradled the baby in her arms as she crawled up the pallet to kneel beside Katherine. She laid the baby gently on its mother's chest, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand. "It was a girl," she said softly. She moved back over to Daryl, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing against the top of his shoulder.

Katherine looked down at her daughter, sobbing silently for several minutes before she finally got herself under control. She swallowed hard and looked over at the other two. "I knew it," she whispered softly. "Some part of me knew my baby was dead yesterday, but I didn't want to believe it. I wanted so much to hold her."

Daryl's attention perked up as he began to hear sounds outside. It was obvious walkers were coming closer, maybe drawn by the screams Katherine had made while giving birth or maybe by the smell of the blood. Either way, he knew they couldn't stay there much longer. "We need to move," he stated, looking at each woman. "We'll take you back to where we're staying," he spoke to Katherine. "It'll be a tight fit, but you can ride between us on my motorcycle."

Maggie nodded. "My dad can check to make sure you're okay," she added, looking at Katherine. She reached to take the baby back so Daryl could help the woman to her feet. "We can bury your daughter there, too. We have a few friends who will keep her company."

Katherine sighed, accepting Daryl's hand as the man helped her slowly sit up. She pulled a clean pair of pants from her pack and used him as a crutch as she pulled them on, leaning on him as the three of them made their way back to the window where Daryl and Maggie had come in. She winced as she climbed slowly through the window and then onto the motorcycle behind Daryl, keeping her daughter clutched close to her chest.

Maggie slid onto the motorcycle behind Katherine, wrapping her arms around the woman and nodding as Katherine wrapped one arm around Daryl. Maggie pulled her gun out of its holster and shot a couple of the walkers that were heading toward them as Daryl raced back the way they had come, taking them back to the prison.

Daryl nodded to Carl and Glenn as he rode his motorcycle through the gates the two of them had opened when they saw him coming. He held the motorcycle steady after shutting off its engine, waiting for the two women to climb off before doing so himself. He looked over to the yard where Axel and Oscar were digging graves before looking over at Hershel. "We're gonna need one more... a small one." He motioned toward Katherine and the baby that was still cradled in her arms.

Hershel nodded as he moved over toward the woman. "My name is Hershel Greene," he stated, introducing himself. "Maggie's my daughter." He reached out and took the wrapped bundle from her arms, frowning sadly as he opened the blanket and looked at the dead infant. He passed the baby to Daryl before taking the woman by the hand. "Daryl's gonna take care of your baby while I get you settled inside. Maggie, I want you and Beth to fix a bottle for Carl's little sister."

Katherine nodded and followed Hershel mutely inside, staying silent as he got her settled onto a cot on one of the empty cells. She stared up at the bottom of the cot above her as he examined her, not even noticing when he covered her up a few minutes later and left her alone.

A few hours later, Beth looked up as Rick came into the dining area. She kissed his baby girl gently on the forehead before sliding her into her father's arms.

Rick stared at his baby girl for several moments before looking around at the others. "Glenn said Daryl and Maggie brought someone back with them. Where is she?"

"In the cell next to Dad's," Beth answered. "I took her some stew a few minutes ago, but I don't think she even knows I was in there." She frowned, a sad expression on her face. "I think she's in shock, but Dad says there's nothing physically wrong with her."

Rick nodded, giving the baby back to Beth before leaving the dining area without another word. He walked down to the cell where the woman was, noting the untouched bowl of stew on the floor by the cot. He sighed as he sat down on the edge of the cot and touched the woman's shoulder.

Katherine didn't react to the touch. She was laying on her side, staring blankly at the wall in front of her.

Rick sighed again, reaching out and rolling the woman over so he could see her face. "Daryl and Maggie say you were at the day care they found. What's your name?"

It took Katherine several moments to focus on the man and what he was saying. "Katherine," she finally responded quietly.

"My name's Rick," he replied. "I'm really sorry about what happened to you." He sighed quietly, rubbing a hand over his face. "My daughter was just born this morning. She lived, but we lost my wife." He looked her in the eyes. "We want you to stay here with us, but I need to ask you two questions first." He waited for a response, continuing when she just stared at him. "How many walkers have you killed?"

Katherine looked at him blankly for a long time before realizing what he was asking. "I haven't kept track of how many dead ones I've killed," she finally answered. "I've been on my own since a couple of weeks after the outbreak."

Rick nodded, satisfied with her answer. "How many people have you killed?"

"Two," Katherine replied. "I killed my best friend after she was bitten to keep her from turning, and I killed a man a few months ago who tried to attack me."

Rick nodded again. He gently pulled the woman into a sitting position, leaning her back against the wall. He picked up the bowl of stew and began to feed her. Once the bowl was empty, he pulled her to her feet. He led her outside and over to the graves, staying back to give her some privacy.

Katherine stared at the graves, slowly looking at each one before her eyes focused on the one he had stopped her in front of. It was smaller than all of the others, and she knew it was where they had buried her daughter. Tears welled up in her eyes, no longer feeling the emptiness she had been feeling since Hershel had taken her inside. She fell to her knees, sobs pouring out of her as her fingers dug into the dirt of the grave, clinging to it as if she would still be able to cling to her baby.

Rick watched her for several minutes before he couldn't take anymore. He moved back over to her and pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her as she continued to sob. "I'm sorry," he whispered again. He kept his eyes averted from Lori's grave as he turned and led Katherine back into the prison. He took her back to the cell Hershel had put her in and helped her lay back down on the bed. "Any of us are here if you need someone to talk to," he told her as he tucked her back onto the cot. "It's not good to keep yourself closed off from everyone." He sighed. "I just had a friend point that fact out to me."

Katherine didn't respond as she snuggled deeper into the cot, closing her eyes and yawning, but she did look at him as he said good-bye. She watched as he left the cell and walked down the hall before she rolled back over onto her side. She was more exhausted than she thought possible, falling asleep a few minutes later.


	3. Chapter 3

Katherine slowly opened her eyes as she woke up, not quite sure what it was that had brought her out of her dreamless sleep at first. She finally became aware of a noise at the door of the cell they had given her to stay in. She bit her lip, not quite seeing what was going on since it still appeared to be dark, and did her best not to scream. Her hand waved through the air as she reached down beside the cot she was laying on, trying to locate her pack. She had to get to a weapon to be able to defend herself.

"Relax," a gruff voice spoke quietly. "It's just me." Daryl finally managed to slip through the almost closed door of the cell and stood next to the cot. "I wanted to see how you're doin'."

Katherine let out the breath she hadn't been aware she was holding as she recognized the man as the one who had been at the day care. "I'm okay, I think... Daryl, right?"

Daryl nodded, rubbing the palms of his hands on the front of his dirty jeans. "Do you need anything?" he asked. He chewed on the inside of his lower lip as he studied her. She was still really pale, and her eyes looked haunted, but she seemed to be a lot better than she had been the day before. He breathed a little sigh of relief at the realization.

Katherine shook her head. "No," she replied. "I'm fine. Thanks." She looked up into his eyes. "I don't know if I ever thanked you for what you and that girl did for me, but thank you. I know I probably wouldn't be alive if you hadn't come along."

Daryl waved off her thanks. "Don't worry about it. Survivors gotta stick together." He shifted slightly from one foot to the other, looking more than a little ill at ease as he reached up and rubbed the back of his head. "I'll let you get back to sleep. Didn't mean to wake you up. Just wanted to check on you."

Katherine nodded, giving him a small smile before she rolled back over and closed her eyes again. She was sound asleep within minutes.

~C~

Rick looked up as Daryl came into the dining area, holding a bottle so that his daughter could eat. "How's she doing?" he asked, knowing his friend had stopped to check on the new woman.

Daryl couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face as he looked down at the baby. "She looks better than she did last night. I accidentally woke her up, but I think she was back out before I left."

Rick nodded, glad to hear the woman was recuperating well. He glanced up toward the high windows where the sun was just beginning to shine through. "There's a lot we need to get done today," he commented. "I want to get some more of the ground tilled up for Hershel's garden, and I'd like to get a start on a few animal pens."

Daryl grabbed a bowl and scooped himself up some of the eggs that Beth or Maggie had made already that morning, sitting down beside Rick to eat. "Shouldn't be a problem. If we finish early enough, I can take a couple of people out with me to see if we can find some animals to put in them."

"Sounds good to me," Maggie commented as she came over and joined them. "It'd be nice to have some pigs and chickens, maybe even a cow or two." She reached over and gently cupped the top of the baby's head before leaning over to place a tender kiss on her forehead.

Rick finished feeding the baby, moving her up to his shoulder to burp her before handing her to Maggie. "We'll be out in the yard if you need anything," he told her as he and Daryl stood up and left.

~C~

Katherine woke up a couple of hours later, slowly stretching her arms over her head. It took her a few moments to remember where she was and what had happened to her but eventually reality sank in. She slowly pushed herself up off of the cot and slipped her shoes onto her feet. Making sure she had one of her guns and two of her knives on her, she walked out of her cell and began to explore her new home. She started off on the inside, finding her way into various areas while trying to remember the different corridors she took so that she wouldn't get lost.

She found the infirmary first, her eyes widening as she took in all of the supplies that were there. She realized these people had a great set-up going here and wouldn't need a whole lot to be able to survive there for as long as needed in order to survive what had happened to everyone. Making a note of what was available, she kept a mental check list of things to come back for.

The laundry area was her next find, and she wasn't surprised to find it completely stocked with inmate jumpers, sheets, towels, wash cloths, pillows, blankets, laundry soap, and other items that would be found in a laundry.

She came upon the best treasure of all a little over an hour later as she walked into a room that had obviously been used as the prison store. There were bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and other things of that nature that the inmates would have been able to purchase. There were also cigarettes, magazines, books, candy, gum, clothing, stationary, and several other items. She grabbed a pack of gum as she made her way back toward her cell, a small smile on her face.

Beth let out a relieved breath when she saw the new woman approaching. She hurried toward her. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I was worried!"

Katherine looked confused as she studied the young girl. "Worried?" she asked. "Why?"

"Because you disappeared without a word," Hershel responded as he limped over. "We try to let at least one other person know before we go anywhere. That way we know to come looking if they don't come back in a reasonable amount of time."

Katherine nodded. "Makes sense," she said in agreement, holding out the pack of gum toward Beth to offer her a piece. "I'll do that from now on." She glanced around. "Is there any carts or anything I could use to bring some stuff that I found here?" Her eyes twinkled. "There's all kinds of good stuff in the infirmary, laundry, and the inmate store."


	4. Chapter 4

Katherine shifted on her cot, whimpering a little in her sleep a few mornings later. She whimpered again and turned onto her other side, toward the cell door. She sighed and slowly opened her eyes.

"Can't sleep?" Daryl asked, glancing into her cell as he walked by. He stopped at her door and looked at her with concern. "What's wrong, Kate?"

Katherine shrugged her shoulders and sat up. "Don't know," she mumbled, her words a little slurred since she was still sleepy.

Daryl's eyes widened as he spotted the wet spots on Katherine's t-shirt. "I'm goin' to get Hershel. Stay put." He disappeared before Katherine had a chance to respond, coming back a few minutes later with Hershel. He pointed toward Katherine's t-shirt. "Is that normal?"

Hershel chuckled under his breath and nodded his head. "Yes," he answered. "It is." He glanced at Katherine. "Are you very sore?"

Katherine frowned as she looked at the two men. "How did you know I'm feeling tender?" she asked, not wanting to admit how uncomfortable she was.

"I'll explain in a moment," Hershel promised. "Would you mind letting me inside while Daryl goes to get Rick?" he requested. He glanced at Daryl. "Have Rick bring Judith with him."

Katherine looked confused but got up and opened the door for Hershel to come into the cell with her. She left it open for Rick and sat back down on the lower bunk. She was thankful that it didn't take Rick very long to arrive, not quite sure what to say to Hershel.

Rick looked as confused as Katherine did as he stepped into the cell. Deciding whatever it was Hershel wanted to talk about might require a little more privacy, he turned and pulled the sheet across the bars to hide the cell from view before looking at each of them. Judith was cradled in his arms. "What's going on, Hershel?" he asked and then noticed the wet spots on Katherine's shirt. Understanding dawned in his eyes and his mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"

"It would be the best option," Hershel responded in a calm voice. "We don't have the machine she needs, and the formula they brought back is already running low." He glanced at Katherine and gave her an encouraging smile when he saw she was still confused. "Your body is producing milk for your baby," he explained carefully. "That's why you're so tender right now. If you don't get some relief, the pain is only going to get worse and you might even begin to get sick."

Katherine's shocked face mirrored Rick's as she realized what the two men had been discussing. "You want me to nurse Judith?" She shook her head. "I don't think I can do that." She swallowed hard to try to keep herself from crying in front of them at the thought of feeding another baby with the milk that should have gone to her own.

Hershel sighed. "You heard what I told Rick. You both know it's the truth. We don't have a breast pump for you to be able to use, and we don't have a lot of formula left. If we want to keep both you and Judith healthy, this is the best solution." He looked each of them in the eyes. "If this was back in the olden days, there wouldn't be any hesitation or question. If a baby was born and the mother died, it wasn't uncommon for another woman who was nursing to do the same for that child as she did for her own." He stood up and stepped over to the door of the cell. "I'm going to leave the two of you alone to discuss it. The choice is yours."

Katherine kept staring at the sheet that covered the bars of her cell after Hershel had disappeared, her mouth opening and closing several times as she thought about the things he had said. When Judith began to fuss, her breasts seemed to ache even more. She frowned, trying to re-adjust them without being obvious about it. She avoided looking at Rick as she did, scooting over on the bed. "You might as well sit down," she mumbled.

Rick watched her for a few moments as he tried to soothe his daughter, sighing as he finally sat down on the lower cot beside her. "Hershel does have a point," he finally stated. "Neither one of us may be happy about it, but it's something we need to consider."

Katherine turned and looked him in the eyes. "Can you honestly tell me you wouldn't have a problem if I breastfed your daughter?" she asked.

Rick sighed and shook his head. "No, I can't." His eyes searched hers with the same intensity. "And I don't think you could tell me you wouldn't have a problem with it either." He ran the palm of his hand over the stubble on his face. "But we both have to think about your health and Judith's. If this is the best solution, who are we to deny either of you the benefits of it?"

Katherine studied his eyes for several more moments before she sighed and slowly nodded her head. "I'll do it," she whispered, her voice barely audible as silent tears slid down her cheeks. She started to reach for Judith but then frowned, looking at Rick again. "I don't know how to breast feed a baby," she stated quietly, feeling ashamed.

Rick hesitated. "I could show you how. I watched the nurses teach Lori when she had Carl." He glanced toward the sheet that was covering the bars of the cell. "But maybe you would be more comfortable if Hershel showed you how to do it."

Katherine quickly shook her head. "No," she responded. "If we're going to do this, we might as well do it together. Right?" She took a deep breath. "You know how to do it. You can teach me." She took another deep breath and slowly pulled her shirt off, trying not to appear nervous.

Rick swallowed hard himself and quickly put Judith in Katherine's arms before moving behind her. He stretched his legs out on either side of hers and wrapped his arms around her to help her support his daughter. Clearing his throat, he kept his focus on Judith. "You need to take your breast in your hand and rub your nipple across her lips to coax her to take it into her mouth," he said, his voice cracking slightly.

Katherine nodded, biting her lower lip as she followed Rick's instructions. It took several tries, but Judith finally latched on. Katherine gasped in shock. "She did it!" she exclaimed. "She really did it!" Her eyes were wide with amazement as she stared at the nursing baby.

Rick couldn't help but smile a little. "You both caught on quicker than I expected," he admitted. "It took Lori and Carl several more attempts before they figured things out." He blushed a deep red and cleared his throat. "How's it feel? Are you okay?"

Katherine kept watching Judith for several moments before she responded. "It feels strange, but I think we're both okay," she answered.

"You'll get used to the feeling," Rick responded. He over and grabbed her pillow, removing the pillowcase and draping it over her shoulder to give her a little cover so that he could relax a little more.

Katherine nodded, moving the pillowcase a little so that she could still see the baby. "How long should she nurse?"

"Only a couple of minutes on each breast to begin with," Rick said, "and she'll need to be burped in between them." He smiled a little. "She nurse for longer as she gets bigger, but it'll be less often as she grows, too."


	5. Chapter 5

Katherine smiled a little as she sat in the dining area of the prison. It was a couple of weeks after that awkward first time of breastfeeding Judith, and she was finally getting more comfortable with the idea. She was enjoying some scrambled eggs while she held the baby with a blanket covering them so she could feed her as well. Today was the first day in more than a few weeks that she actually felt somewhat normal and even a little happy.

Rick was whistling as he came in from his watch in the guard tower. There hadn't been any sign of trouble in several days, and it seemed as if maybe their problems with The Governor were over. He was finally beginning to relax a little, especially since Judith was getting to be happier and more healthy every day. He nodded at Axel as he passed the former prisoner as the other man was heading outside.

"Kate and your daughter are in the dining area," Axel said as he passed by.

Rick changed his direction, deciding not to go to his cell for a nap after all. He walked into the dining area and took the plate of eggs that Beth handed him. "Thanks, Beth." He sat down next to Katherine and cupped his hand around the back of Judith's head through the blanket. "Is she almost done?" he asked.

Katherine nodded and gave him a small smile. "Another minute or so," she commented as she scooped herself up another bite of eggs. "How was your watch?"

"Uneventful," Rick answered. "Things are looking pretty good." He slipped an arm around her shoulders when she visibly relaxed. "I think we can finally settle ourselves in here and make a home," he said in a whisper.

Carl narrowed his eyes as he stared at his dad and Katherine, not realizing how tight his hand was tightening on the spatula he was using to scoop himself up some of the scrambled eggs. He growled a little under his breath, muttering to himself.

"Are you okay, Carl?" Beth asked, concern in her eyes. She put a hand on his arm and glanced over toward his dad. "Are you fighting with your dad again?"

Carl shook his head. "Everything's fine," he stated in a strained voice. He put his plate of eggs down on the table without touching them. "I'm going out on a patrol to make sure no one's trying to get in?" He turned around and left the dining area before Beth could say anything else.

Rick glanced over just in time to see Carl leaving and sighed. "I'm not sure what to do with him," he admitted quietly, in a voice only loud enough for Katherine to hear. "He's pulling further away from me since we lost his mother." He sighed again and shook his head. "He's trying to grow up and be a man too fast, and I'm fighting to keep him a boy for as long as possible."

Katherine glanced at the door before looking over at Rick. "I bet he's really confused. He almost lost you, just to have you turn up when he never thought he would see you again. Your best friend became his dad during the time that you were gone, and then he turned around and lost him, too... by your hand and his own." She shook her head when she saw him start to open his mouth. "I know. You've told me everything during the hours we've spent together so Judith could eat. I understand, and deep down I'm betting he does, too. However, that doesn't mean he's really had the chance to process everything yet. You guys fought like hell to claim this place and just when you thought everything was calm, the walkers overrun it again and he ends up losing his mother. Not only that, but it was a death that was again at his own hand. He knows that he had to do it to keep her from turning, but he hasn't been able to process actually doing the act."

Rick nodded to show that he understood what she was saying as he took his daughter from her and put the baby up onto his shoulder to rub her back so she would burp. "I know you're right," he responded. "I just don't know what the hell to do about it." He stopped rubbing Judith's back to run a hand through his hair and then started rubbing her back again.

Katherine gave him a sympathetic look. "The situation with me isn't helping the relationship between you and your son. I know he told us that he understands the reasons we're doing what we're doing, but he's thirteen. There has to be a part of him that resents me, and probably you. Part of him thinks that you, and possibly Judith, are allowing me to take the place of his mother. He's going to have to confront us one day soon, or he'll never be able to move on."

Carl grumbled under his breath as he moved around the inside of the outer fence that surrounded the prison. He felt like a caged animal. It seemed like everyone else was able to move on from the things that had happened to them, but he couldn't. He kept seeing the things that had happened over and over again. His dreams were laced with images of Amy, Jim, Jacqui, Sophia, Dale, Shane, Jimmy, Patricia, T-Dog, and his mom. He sighed and opened the hole in the fence to let himself out. He couldn't stand it anymore. He had to go for a real walk.

Axel straightened up as he watched a figure head toward the trees that surrounded the prison. It wasn't moving as if it was a walker. He grabbed the pair of binoculars that was kept in the tower and tried to focus the lenses on the figure, sighing a few moments later. He grabbed the walkie talkie that was kept beside the binoculars and depressed the button. "Daryl, you there? I need to talk to Rick. Now, please. I'm on guard duty. Can't leave unless someone else comes up here to keep watch."

Daryl sighed. "He'll be there in a minute." He walked into the dining area and grinned as he saw Judith sleeping on Rick's shoulder. He and Katherine appeared to be in a deep conversation, but he walked over any way and reached to take Judith. "Axel needs to see you in the guard tower, Rick."

Rick nodded and stood up. "We'll continue our conversation later, Kate," he commented. He leaned over and kissed the top of Judith's head before walking out of the dining area and up into the guard tower. "What's wrong, Axel?"

Axel sighed. "Carl's gone." He motioned toward the trees just outside the perimeter of the prison. "I called Daryl to get you as soon as I saw him."


	6. Chapter 6

Carl walked through the trees with no real destination in mind. He just knew that he had to get away... from the prison, from his dad, from that woman pretending to be him mom, from /everything/. He couldn't take any more.

The Governor waited until after Andrea went to take a shift of guard duty on the wall before he left to meet with Caesar Martinez. "I want to go out today," he informed his second-in-command. Something tells me we're going to find something interesting, something that's going to help us get the better of those people at the prison."

Caesar looked at him with an interested glint in his eyes. "You know something I don't, Governor?" he questioned.

The Governor shook his head. "Nah. It's more like a feeling I have." He glanced around. "Get everything ready. I want the two of us to pull out of here in less than an hour." He smiled when Caesar nodded his head. "I just need to tidy up a couple of things, and I'll be right back. I want you ready to go then." He turned and jogged back across the main area of Woodbury and into the building where he had taken up residence.

Caesar shook his head as he watched the other man, but he wasted no time in getting the truck ready to leave. He checked the oil, gas, and other items on the truck before throwing an ice bucket of bottle water and some food rations into the cab. He never knew how long he and the Governor would be gone whenever the other man went off on one of his tangents.

In a little over half an hour, the Governor came back to the truck. "Ready to go?" he asked.

Caesar nodded, dusting off his hands on his jeans before double checking the amount of ammunition and guns he had stored behind the seats. "Ready," he answered, sliding behind the wheel. "Where are we going?"

"That way," the Governor answered, pointing in the direction of the prison. He chuckled when he saw the look on Caesar's face. "Don't worry. The two of us aren't about to try and take on those monsters at the prison alone. Not after the way they got the drop on us right here the other night. We will either turn back before we get that far or circle around it."

Carl came out onto a dirt road and turned to his left, not slowing down as he continued his walk. He kicked at random rocks, keeping himself alert for the sounds of walkers but not really paying any attention to anything else as he continued to grumble to himself.

"What's that?" Caesar asked, leaning over the steering wheel and narrowing his eyes to try to get a clearer look at the figure on the road up ahead of them. "It doesn't look like a Biter."

The Governor's eyes started dancing with happiness. "It's not," he responded. "It's that deputy's son. It has to be. Check out the hat he's wearing."

Caesar stopped the truck, glancing over at his boss. "What are you wanting to do?"

The Governor rubbed the palms of his hands together. "This little outing is working out so much better than I had anticipated." He was grinning from ear to ear as he returned the look Caesar was giving him. "We're going to take the little bastard in for questioning," he said in an insistent voice. "We'll leave the truck here and cut through the trees to catch up to him. He'll never know we're coming until it's too late."

Caesar frowned a little but nodded his agreement. He turned off the ignition of the truck and pocketed the keys before climbing out of the cab. With a nod from the Governor, he moved into the trees on the left side of the boy and hurried through them while the Governor did the same on the opposite side of the road.

Carl frowned as he heard a few limbs snapping, some on either side of the road. He automatically put his hand on the butt of his gun as he stopped walking and looked into the trees with narrowed eyes. Not seeing anything, he turned around to look into the trees on the opposite side of the road.

The Governor stepped out of the trees, motioning for Caesar to wait a few moments before making himself known. "Well... What do we have here?" he asked. "Are you lost?"

Carl pulled his gun out immediately and leveled it at the man who stepped out of the trees. "No," he answered. "I know exactly where I am. Just keep walking."

The Governor chuckled, taking a purposeful step toward the teenager. "I'm not here to hurt you, Son. I just happened to see you and want to make sure you're okay." As he spoke, he slowly maneuvered around so that the teenager would move to keep him in his line of vision. "Have you eaten or drank anything lately?" he questioned, keeping his hands up in front of him so that the boy would see he was unarmed and motioning with his eyes for Caesar to move.

As the teenager started answering the Governor's question, Caesar hurried out of the trees and grabbed the wrist of the hand that held the gun. He pulled the boy's arm up straight and wrapped his other arm around the boy's waist.

The Governor started laughing as he watched the teenager struggling in Caesar's grip. He pulled out some rope and quickly tied the boy's ankles together before snatching the gun out of his hand. He slipped the gun into the back of his jeans before narrowing his one good eye at him. "I suggest you calm down, Son. The more you struggle, the more it will hurt." He grabbed the boy's wrists and tied them together using the same rope that was binding his feet.

"Let me go!" Carl shouted, still struggling as much as he could. He barely even noticed when his dad's hat fell off his head, trying to hit or kick either one of the men as they carried him down the road toward a truck that hadn't been on the road when he had first came out of the woods and onto it. "NOW!" He was hoping to at least attract some walkers to distract the two long enough for him to get away.

Rick broke into a run as he heard shouting from up ahead. He had his gun pulled out by the time he reached the dirt road, but it was too late. All he saw as he stepped out of the trees was a dust cloud as a vehicle sped away. He wasn't even able to get a good look at the vehicle to see what kind it was. He growled in frustration as he turned around and hurried back to the prison as fast as he could.


	7. Chapter 7

"What's going on?" Katherine asked, glancing up as Rick hurried past her. She cradled Judith on one arm as she worked the soil with a hoe with her other hand. A large straw hat sat on top of her head to protect both her and the baby from the sun that was beating down from the sky above them.

"Someone kidnapped Carl!" Rick shouted, hurrying into the prison and yelling for Daryl as he stepped into his cell. He started gathering his weapons and a spare change of clothes while he waited for Daryl to catch up to him. He was just stepping back out of the cell to go to the kitchen when Daryl approached him. "Carl was taken," he answered Daryl's unasked question as he stepped past him.

"Was it The Governor?" Daryl asked as he followed Rick into the kitchen. He started tossing a few cans in his direction. "Did they take him to Woodbury?"

"That's what I'm assuming," Rick said, shouldering the pack he had fixed and heading out. He stopped long enough for Daryl to grab his own pack and then continued, frowning when he saw Katherine blocking the door. "Kate, please. We need to get going."

"I realize that," Katherine replied. She placed Judith in Rick's arms, smiling to herself as he visibly calmed down almost immediately. She nodded her head as she crossed her arms over her chest. "There," she commented. "Feeling a little better?"

Rick sighed and nodded as he leaned over and nuzzled Judith's cheek. He held his daughter close and closed his eyes for several moments before looking over at Katherine. "Happy now?" he asked with only a little heat in his voice.

"That depends," Katherine replied. She stepped forward and put one hand on his arm as she looked into his eyes. "I know Carl was taken. I heard you as you hurried past, but you can't just run off without thinking about what you're doing. If you aren't calm when you go to get your son back, you'll die. You have to have a clear head, Rick."

"She's right, Rick," Daryl commented. He shifted on his feet as he reached out and rubbed the back of Judith's head. "You can't save Carl without a clear head." He smiled as Judith cooed at him. "That's my little ass kicker." He looked up at Rick. "What's the plan?"

Rick sighed as he realized they were both right. He couldn't go running off the way he had in the past. That way of thinking had never gotten him anywhere. "We need to figure out a way to slip past the guards they have stationed on the walls surrounding the town. Then we have to find out where they have Carl stashed. There has to be a way to get him out of there without costing any lives."

"I can help," Katherine stated. "Give me a little while to pump some spare bottles in case we're gone for a while. I can be a distraction while the two of you slip over or under one of the walls."

"No way," Rick responded. "I'm not taking a chance on something happening to you, Kate. You're too important to all of us." He sighed. "Including Carl. I know he's upset about you right now, but he'll come around. He knows you're not trying to take Lori's place."

"We'll take Maggie with us," Daryl added. He tugged on a strand of Katherine's hair. "There's a lot of stuff you can do around here while you're waiting for us to get back."

Katherine scoffed. "There's a lot of things Maggie can be doing, too, including recuperating. She got injured during the last fight with Woodbury, remember?" She shook her head. "No. I'm going with you, and that's final." She looked into each of their eyes in turn. "If you try to leave without me, I'll just find my own way."

Daryl glanced at Rick. "She's not giving us much choice," he said. "She's got a stubborn streak worse than yours." He motioned for Katherine to do what she had to do to get ready. "You've got five minutes, Kate, and then we're heading out... with or without you."

Rick sighed but didn't make a move to stop her from leaving. Instead he cradled Judith in his arms and held her close as they waited for Katherine to get back.

Katherine fixed two extra bottles and took them into Beth's cell after fixing a pack of her own. "I'm heading out with Daryl and Rick. We might be gone for a while, so I fixed up a couple of extra bottles for Judith."

Beth nodded, standing up to follow Katherine out of the cell. "Where are you guys going?" she inquired as she took Judith from Rick. She saw the look in each of their eyes and gasped softly. "What happened?" she asked, knowing in her heart that something terrible had happened.

Rick sighed. "Someone took Carl. We're going after him," he explained. "We don't want to raise a huge alarm."

"We plan on slipping in and out as quietly as possible," Daryl added. He leaned over and kissed the top of Judith's head as he ruffled Beth's hair. "Take care of everyone while we're gone."

Beth nodded, holding Judith a little closer. "We'll be fine," she told them in a voice that held more confidence than she actually felt. She put her chin up defiantly. "We know how to take care of ourselves, and I won't let anything happen to Judith." She smiled a little as Katherine hugged her. "Hurry back," she whispered.


End file.
